“We consider such actions on the part of the British authorities conspicuously unfriendly and expect their official explanations,” Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman says

Russian Foreign Ministry building in Moscow

MOSCOW, July 14. /ITAR-TASS/. Moscow regards London’s refusal to issue visas to Russian participants in the Farnborough Airshow as “conspicuously unfriendly” and reserves the right to respond reciprocally, Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Yuri Matery said on Monday, July 14.

“In fact, although the documents were filed in advance, the main part of the Russian official delegation that was planning to take part in the Farnborough International Airshow-2014 which opened on July 14 will most likely be unable to come as they have not been issued British visas,” he said.

Matery recalled that a high-level delegation of officials from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Federal Space Agency, the Federal Agency for Air Transportation, Russian Technologies, the Corporation Irkut, Rosoboronexport, MiG Corporation, Sukhoi Company and other interested companies was planning to travel to Britain to attend the exhibition and conduct talks with a large number of international participants.

“Technical personnel who attend to the exhibits, which have already been delivered for demonstration at the air show, were not issued British visas either. The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Great Britain has sent a note to the Foreign Office requesting explanations,” the spokesperson said.

“This situation legitimately makes us feel indignant. We have always thought that as the organiser of major international events Great Britain would be interested in their success and in having as representative delegations at them as possible,” he said.

“We consider such actions on the part of the British authorities conspicuously unfriendly and expect their official explanations with regard to the situation that does not fit into notion of normal interstate relations,” Matery said. “We reserve the right to respond reciprocally, as is customary in diplomatic practice,” he added.